Obama v. Obama: The President Takes Aim at Himself

Those who might have nodded off after the first hour of President Obama’s third State of the Union address were surely brought back to consciousness by the startling claims on foreign policy and global leadership in the last third of the speech. As did much of the speech as a whole, it had a kind of Alice in Wonderland quality to it.

“America is back,” proclaimed the President, who had just boasted of his ignominious troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq. “Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”

But wait. Wasn’t it President Obama who came into office touting a more “humble” American foreign policy, who prided himself on “leading from behind in the Middle East,” and who has been taken to the cleaners by Russian arms-control negotiators? What’s more, President Obama, who once publicly doubted America’s claims to exceptionalism, declared in his speech tonight that America “remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs—and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.”

In keeping with the surreal quality of these claims, the President also boasted that his proposed draconian cuts in U.S. military spending “ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget.” What the President’s proposal does, of course, is undermine the finest military in the world rather than maintain it.

In Obama’s worldview, rhetoric substitutes for action, words for deeds. Unfortunately, that does not apply to the world the rest of us live in.

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Helle C. Dale is the Heritage Foundation's senior fellow in public diplomacy. Her work focuses on the U.S. government’s institutions and programs for strategic outreach to the public of foreign countries, as well as more traditional diplomacy. Read her research.

Every bit of authority he has now he severely abuses. Less power to the president would be more adaquate in America. please save us! that was spine chilling when he said he hadn't reached his tremendous transformation that is tremendously against the will of the people and tremendously treasonous to the constitution. Stop him from his abusive acts of illegalities put on us. We do not want him to be president next year, the year after that or the year after that. How about, never again.

The housing crisis had been going on before barney frank defended to his death that everything was fine. Now the president comes out and says the housing crisis exists because people didn't understand what they were signing? Why would they sign if they didn't understand? or come to an understanding? That's too bad. Whether American born or not, that is the most condescending statement he could put on people! personal signatures are a sign of accountability as personal signatures applies. If people aren't going to be accountable for their signature, all personal signatures lose authority of it's own. leading to something…

The government in control, knew it was going on and let it happen. Realtors promoted "no money down, no credit checks, low housing payments." These weren't Realtors run by American born and someone knew what was going on failing the bank, security of their own. This is deeper than people not understanding what they signed. This was perpetrated by the government themselves as they make a deep bond with immigrants and everyone else they can use to draw a crisis from. Call it predatory borrowing with government backing.

The banker had the same rules for everyone, until fannie and freddie stepped in and now instead of correcting the misunderstanding and holding the rightful accountable, the president illegally hires a consumer protector???? What? he's going to protect people from their costly faults instead of holding them rightfully accountable? Dumping personal expenses that effect the economy on responsible people who are barely making it because of the discriminating, illegal, unconstitutional acts of government? Please save America! What's fair is everyone is held accountable to their personal signature. Nothing is "fair" until we all follow the same rules which builds personal motivation to challenge.. Get rid of the consumer protector, he's added corruption.

The President's unconstitutional acts collapsed the middle class so now he's going to save it? He says we're going to change the policies that got us here? Isn't that his first campaign promise to America 4 years ago? Don't hold us accountable to peoples' contracts they signed and didn't understand. The government is the purchasers through fannie and freddie, the enabler and if any arrests are made, it should be those members of government that are involved who directly misled America those members are personally and rightfully accountable to the loss they've caused. Let it come out of their pay not ours, we had nothing to do with it. This is beyond outrageous! how come there is no word from these the government pities? Maybe they'd rather not live in America?

He wants MORE money to create MORE illusionary jobs that are highly expensed by someone's setting that establishes irresponsible outcomes at everyone elses expense. Jobs are efficiently ready to commence the only thing stopping them is government. He blocks the way for petty, insignificant, correct as you go, excuses. We want the money we earn out of his hands. We need our money to live and don't like the wasteful use the president is getting out of it which serves us no good. Stop this man from stealing Americans money that cover the costs of his irresponsible investments.. The President hasn't worked with congress since he had to face the republican party. He's a dangerous con. The growing number of people barely getting by are the people he is stealing the most from. America deserves limited and disciplined government. People that can be trusted with respects to humanity, not categorize it! The President needs to change as America never left, just crowded out by dangerous government abuse of authority. Legal action must be taken. PLEASE! We'll prepare for the retaliation of his evil, HE IS ALREADY PREPARED FOR!

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